Peach will be angry.
But she doesn’t have to know.
Grinning to myself, I shift into my big black wolf and attack.
“How was your day?” she asks as I step into the bakery while she’s closing up. Her smile gives me that dopamine hit that I live my life craving. The same feeling I get when I fight or kill someone. Not to mention the fact that she’s smiling that I’m here.
That has to mean something, right?
Maybe she doesn’t entirely hate my company.
“Uneventful,” I reply, leaning down to kiss her forehead. The rough pad of my thumb brushes her cheek. “Can I help you with anything? I know you wanted me out of here today, but I can be useful.”
“Yes, I didn’t want you to scare away my customers.” She smirks, resting her palms on my chest. “I actually hired someone today. She starts tomorrow, so make sure that you’re nice.”
“I’m always nice,” I lie.
She arches her brow.
“To people I like,” I amend.
So just Peach and my siblings.
“Come on, let’s go home. You must be tired,” I say, lifting her in my arms. I’d stay here all day if she wanted me to. I ended up going to the apartment and watching her from there while I worked out. I need to stay fit so she keeps looking at my body the way she did last night.
“Home,” she whispers, wrapping her arms around me. “My brother came and visited me today.”
I zip to my house and place her on the bed. Then I put her feet on my lap, remove her shoes, and massage them. My mate works too hard. If it were up to me, she’d be here, baking for me and only me. Maybe we can work up to that.
“Oh, that feels so good.” She sighs, fluffing the pillow behind her and then lying back.
“What did your brother want?” I ask her.
“Just to check in on me,” she murmurs, opening her eyes and looking at me. She hesitates, as if she wants to say something. “He knows you’re my mate.”
“And?” I press, already knowing the answer.
“He doesn’t want me to bond with you,” she admits, narrowing her eyes. “But can you blame him after what happened? I don’t know why you did that.”
“We needed information, and a seer had a vision of him. He was a dead-end, but now I think it was because of you,” I say, finally realizing that.
And I wanted to kill him, but we decided not to since he was in Laurel’s vision. And thank fuck I didn’t. Peach would have never forgiven me.
“So you put him through that for nothing?” she asks, crossing her arms.
“Peach, I do what I need to do for my family. I don’t have any limits on that. And now I’d do the same for you. I’m sorry that I hurt your brother.” I pause and then tilt my head. “No, that’s not true. I don’t give a fuck about your brother, but I’m sorry that I upset you with my actions.”
“Salem…”
“But he’s going to have to get over that. You are mine, not his. Would you ever stand in the way of his mate or his happiness?” I ask her.
She frowns, her brows furrowing. “No, of course not.”
“So why is he trying to do that for you?”
She sighs and closes her eyes again. “Okay, I get what you’re saying. But it’s not exactly normal for someone to have to worry about who their mate has tortured.”
My lip twitches. “Who wants normal, little one? You were meant for something much more than that.”
